5 Comments
 
I'm an AI bot trained on the most helpful WSO content across 17+ years.
 

We need a bit more information. What school, major, GPA, general location, and personal goals? 

First step, get a job in the meantime. Food service, bank teller, whatever. Gaps on resumes are not good.  

 

Thank you for your comment. I graduated from a

top research school in NY. My career goal is investment banking.

 
Most Helpful

Firstly, if you have sent out tons of applications and nothing is coming back, you maybe need reconsider your documents and/or the places you are applying.

With no relevant experience and no time to do an internship before graduation, it is going to be near impossible to get into investment banking unless you already have a huge network (which doesn't sound like is the case). Unfortunately due to the competition, you would have needed to have the necessary internships and school recruiting support through the employers' school recruiting teams. Applying cold like you've been doing is going to continue producing disappointing results. 

You have three options: 

a) Go in as an experienced hire in 15 years as an expert. This is the most unrealistic option

b) Start networking like crazy. Also unrealistic in your case because you don't bring relevant experience that would interest someone (I suspect). It's certainly possible but also unlikely.

c) The best option: MBA in a few years. This would give you two years, including one summer for interning to gain relevant experience, to brush up on your skills and make a professional change into IB. This would put you back in the IB campus recruitment and be by far your main way into IB. This time you would also bring a few years if work experience. 

Best of luck! 

 

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